Ever have those moments when you are overcome with God’s goodness to you? When you just have to smile and say “Thanks, God”?

“Thanks, God. I can’t believe you would let me serve you.”

“Thanks, God. Your sunrises steal my breath away.”

“Thanks, God. I know You’re holding my hand.”

Here we are at the end of November already. Thanksgiving Day is upon us, and all of the United States will be feasting and celebrating.

At the start of this month, I was challenged to keep track of blessings I was thankful for throughout my day. It wasn’t because this is the “month of thanksgiving”. It was just because I wanted to focus on His faithfulness rather than the trials and difficulties of life.

Today’s post isn’t a complete list of all the things I am thankful for—in fact, it’s nowhere near being complete. But it’s a list of a few very special blessings that lifted my spirits this month.

1. Christmas Music

It happened by total accident. I was working and had music going like I normally do.

Somehow a Christmas song got mixed in among the other songs in my playlist. The very first line of the song made me pause and close my eyes. It had been a hard day and an even harder week.

But as the song played on and I pulled up more Christmas music, I could feel my mood lifting. It was a balm for my soul in a moment I needed it to be.

I found myself pausing just to tell God thanks for giving me Christmas music.

I know some of you may be “Christmas music purists”, who only listen to the songs after Thanksgiving is past.

I am not one of those people. This past month has been a struggle in many areas, and Christmas music has been a breath of fresh air for me.

2. Family Photographs

If you know anything about me, you know how much I love old photographs. I could spend hours pouring over photos—especially family ones. On both sides of my family, we have photographs that go all the way back to the 1800s.

This month, I’ve had the privilege of seeing some family photos that I had never seen before. It may seem trivial, but I found myself thanking Him for family photographs. They’re a little piece of who I am, and it was a special treat for me this month.

So even though it may seem small, it made it onto my list of simple things that made me say “thank you”.

3. The Eternal Scars

Have you ever thought about how Jesus’ scars are eternal? We know that after He was raised from the dead, the scars on his body still remained.

If I’m being honest here, I hadn’t ever thoroughly contemplated that thought until this month. Or maybe I had, but it got pushed to the back of my mind.

Regardless, I was listening to a song this past month that I have heard probably a million times, but as I was listening to it this time I was struck with a specific phrase. It says, “He was bruised for our transgressions, and He bears eternal scars”.

That phrase stopped me in my tracks. Wait a minute. Jesus’ bears eternal scars? In Heaven?

I got out my Bible, and started digging. What I found brought me to tears.

Right after being raised, Jesus went to His disciples and shewed them the scars in his hands, his side, and his feet. Thomas was able to reach out and touch the wounds in His hands and side. Jesus then ascended into Heaven, still bearing the scars that He had received during the crucifixion.

Then, as I was studying, Isaiah 53 came to mind.

“But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.”

Some people today will claim that this verse and passage is referring to earthly physical healing. I do not believe that is the context of this verse and chapter. Believers are not promised physical healing on this earth. God is always capable of healing, and sometimes He does choose to heal. But we are not promised to live a life in this world with a body that is perfect and whole.

However, I was struck with the thought that because his wounds and stripes bought our spiritual healing (salvation), we will go to Heaven one day and our bodies will be perfect and complete.

Jesus bears eternal scars in His body so that we don’t have to have eternal scars.

From verses in the New Testament, we see that those in Hell will never have a glorified, perfect body. The Bible says that “their worm dieth not, and the fire is never quenched”.

Hell is a place of everlasting torment where wounds and scars, sickness and disease, will still remain.

But for believers, the sicknesses and diseases of this world are but a passing moment. Because Jesus bears eternal scars for us, we don’t have to bear them ourselves. And we will be perfect and complete in Heaven’s splendor.

4. Simple Living

I love slow living. I love moments when I stand still and remember who my God is and how thankful I am that He has given me the beauty of life to enjoy. I have to admit that sometimes, in the stress and chaos that life brings, I don’t remember to savor the simple things in my life.

But when I do, I’m reminded of just how beautiful it is to live simply. Things like a cup of tea or coffee. Sitting down to blog. Reading the Bible in the calm peace of the early morning or evening. Stepping outside into a warm ray of sunlight. Listening to the laughter of the little ones in my life.

Those are the things that I am thankful for. In honesty, the list could go on forever if I wrote out everything I should thank my God for. I can’t begin to praise Him adequately enough.

“By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name.”

Hebrews 13:15

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving day, everyone! What are a few things you’re thankful for?

A. M. Watson

Hebrews 13:8